


That's just the way(you make me feel)

by Falazure



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Dorks in Love, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Girls in Love, Mild Sexual Content, Mild Smut, bc apparently 'girls in love' isn't a tag which is bullshit, fuck it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 05:46:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19311868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Falazure/pseuds/Falazure
Summary: Sometimes change is a series of little steps rather than one big leap.





	That's just the way(you make me feel)

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing.
> 
> I've been fiddling with this on and off since 3b aired because I wanted to write something for these two cuties and finally I am done! This initially had more of a Point along the lines of: Aline helping Helen to feel confident about her ears, irrc the actress for Helen said something about this(and I thought it was cute) and I've seen a few fics along the same lines, but in the end it kind of went off on it's own tangent so I'm not sure it still comes across? Idk, I had fun writing it which is what matters.
> 
> Also: not my first time writing any sort of f/f smut, but this is my first time posting it publicly so uh, if it's awkward or clunky pls let me know fellow sapphics, there's only so much reading f/f content will do on that front. 
> 
> But anyway, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 

She didn’t expect to see Aline again so soon if she was being honest. Hell part of her thought that she’d never really see her again due to how often their lot were stationed all over the world at the drop of a hat.

But here she was, just coming out of Consul Penhallow’s office after a debrief over the Heavenly Fire situation and she all but ran into Aline. The two of them standing stock still for a moment, Helen was sure she was wide-eyed and gaping like the most unattractive fish, but she quickly composed herself.

In hindsight bumping into the Consul’s _daughter_ outside her office was hardly the most unexpected thing to happen.

That composure however almost went to shit as Aline smiled at her and it was almost like every part of the other woman lit-up from within and radiated outwards, rendering Helen’s ability to speak to nothing. She was the most beautiful person she had ever seen.

“Hello again.” Helen blinked, dimly registering that Aline was talking to her.

“Hi, hello, um… how are you?” She kicked herself mentally for her clumsy tongue, cute girls always seemed to be her undoing in this regard and Aline was like a thousand of them rolled into one. The fact that she was able to get anything out kind of amazed her.

Aline seemed unbothered however, her blinding smile lessening to a smaller but no less warm smirk as she looked her over and Helen could feel her heart thudding harder in her chest.

“I’ve been well thank you, and yourself?” Honestly it was the most simple small-talk in the history of small talk but Helen couldn’t help how nervous and giddy she felt, like the attention from this one woman making the most stereotypical ‘how’s the weather’ conversation utterly scintillating.

“Yeah, good as well, just had a de-brief and will probably be reassigned somewhere else soon.” Aline’s smile dimmed a little at that, her expression almost looking sad and Helen didn’t have the chance to question it before that blinding smile was back and dazzling her once again.

“That’s good, hopefully you won’t have to go too far on your next assignment.” It was less a question and more a hopeful statement, almost like Aline didn’t _want_ her to go far and Helen couldn’t help the small smile as she looked down at her feet, one hand nervously tucking her hair behind an ear.

She cleared her throat before looking up, planning to say something witty or amusing to make Aline laugh when she caught the other woman staring, but not at her face.

“What?” This seemed to snap Aline out of whatever trance she’d found herself in.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to be rude it’s just...” Her eyes flicked to the side again, hear ears Helen realised, her stomach churning with anxiety at the attention. “They’re pretty, you should show them off more.”

Helen blinked, her mouth opening and shutting without a sound for a few moments, honestly speechless because, well because her ears normally got her the opposite reaction.

“I- thank you.” Aline smiled warmly at her again and Helen echoed it, the giddy-nerves bubbling up inside her again.

“Well I better go give my report in so I’ll see you later?” Aline made a gesture at the door, shuffling towards it as she kept her body faced in her direction.

“Yeah, absolutely.” Helen nodded, watching as Aline’s grin widened, the other woman giving her a small wave as she opened the Consul’s door and ducked behind it.

The heavy wood closing echoed in the hallway but Helen just stood on the spot, not doubt sporting a completely ridiculous smile but she didn’t care.

She would definitely see Aline again.

\----

The two of them were currently sequestered in the library, trying to find more information about a subterranean type of demon, there was a possible nest in Moscow and their institute had requested help with research. The two of them had just so happened to volunteer at the same time.

Purely a coincidence of course.

It had been a few weeks since they had seen each other again, a few weeks of shared lunches and the occasional after-work meet-ups that Helen was pretty sure was leading to something. A few weeks of jokes and laughter as they’d gotten to know each other better and while Helen wouldn’t call it love yet, she does know that what Aline is making her feel is good, important.

She’s snapped out of her brief trance when Aline shuts the book she’d been pouring through with a huff, setting it aside and picking up another one.

They had two piles on their table: one for books with relevant information, the other for those without. Unsurprisingly the latter was much bigger, though Helen had found a useful passage in one book an hour ago so at least they had something.

She took a moment to study the other women, the frown that pulled her eyebrows together, the fingers of one hand playing with the end of her ponytail, her pink lips pulled into a thoughtful pout as her eyes tracked across the pages in front of her. Helen had thought about those lips repeatedly over the last few weeks, wondered if they were as soft as they looked, wondered how the other woman tasted.

She started a little in her seat as Aline looked up at her, brows still drawn tight together.

“What’s up?” She asked, looking down at the book in front of Helen, probably suspecting that maybe she’d found something. Helen just shook her head.

“Nothing, just a bit distracted that’s all.” She waved Aline off, intending to get back to work but a small, satisfied smirk crept over the other woman’s face.

“Distracted huh?” In what seemed like one graceful move Aline bookmarked her page, pushed back her chair and then stood up, moving around her side of the table and extending out a hand. “Come on, we could probably do with a break.” Helen grinned up at her and took the offered hand, the both of them moving towards one of the large library windows.

It was open so that there was at least some fresh-air circulating into the otherwise stuffy room, the gentle breeze softly blowing their hair as they stood and admired the view.

Or at least Aline was admiring the view and Helen was admiring her.

Her gaze didn’t go unnoticed for long, Aline’s bright, beautiful eyes noticing her attention after a few moments, and instead of any awkwardness it felt like everything was clicking into place. That everything was as it should be.

Aline reached out, her hand caressing her cheek and Helen stepped closer, her own hands finding purchase on the other woman, reaching under her jacket, winding up to gently toy against her collarbone.

Her heart hammered in her chest, giddy anticipation rolling through her and she barely noticed Aline’s fingers tucking her hair back, a shiver running down her spine as a thumb brushed feather-light against the point of her ear.

Her lips parted in a silent gasp, her eyes half-closed and she couldn’t tell who leaned in first as their lips met.

Aline’s lips were _just_ as soft as she had imagined.

\----

Helen kissed her way up Aline’s sweaty torso, paying particular attention to the spot just below the other woman’s ribs that caused a series of high-pitched giggles to burst out of Aline’s mouth, fingers twisting against her skin in an effort to pull her up.

“Stop, stop!” Aline begged and Helen relented, after one last nip that sent the other woman into another fit of giggles before kissing up between her heaving breasts, mouthing over her clavicle and eventually coming to rest face-to-face with Aline’s flushed yet adoring smile. “You’re a _menace_.” She panted and Helen smiled.

“Well you _did_ tell me not to go easy on you.” She pointed out, admiring the way Aline’s hair had fanned out across the pillows, messy but still oh-so beautiful.

“I guess I did didn’t I?” Aline titled her head to the right as her hands skimmed up Helen’s sides, her fingers brushing tantalizingly along the swell of her breasts only to slide off and up to the back of her neck. Helen shivered at the scrape of nails against the base of her skull, she looked down to see Aline biting her lower lip as the other woman studied her, brown eyes flicking across her face as she seemed to contemplate something.

A question was on the tip of her tongue but before she could ask Aline’s hands smoothed up her cheeks to tuck her hair behind both ears, her hands gently cupping themselves around each one as she was pulled down into a kiss.

A moan left her lips and she gladly parted them at the gentle probing of Aline’s tongue, her own joining hers as she leaned fully on the other woman, her breath hitching as one of Aline’s legs slid between her thighs and pushed against her. Her own hands roamed across warm skin, her fingers gripping tight at the leg hiking further and further up against her hip, and she’d forgotten entirely about where Aline’s hands were until a shock of pleasure raced down her spine at the light-touch against her ears.

She wrenched her mouth away with a harsh gasp, hips snapping down unconsciously and she gave a full body shudder when Aline brushed her thumbs against the shell of her ears again, a small whimper leaving her lips.

Helen blinked her eyes open, she hadn't even noticed that she’d shut them, at the light scrape of Aline’s nails behind her ears, the other woman looking delighted but also a little apprehensive. “Was that okay?”

Helen simply laughed at the question and nodded.

“More than okay.” Aline smiled up at her, fingers lightly brushing along the tips of her ears.

“Well in that case.” Aline pulled her close, soft lips pressing up the side of her face until her mouth was hovering beside an ear. “I think it’s time for some payback.”

A hand slid down Helen’s body and she gladly allowed herself to be tumbled onto the bed.

\----

Helen turned on the spot as she studied herself in the floor-length mirror of Aline’s room, her eyes scrutinizing every part of the dress she was wearing.

She looked good in blue, she knew this, but it still felt like something was missing. Nothing however really felt like it _fit_.

She’d tried putting different rings on, more than one necklace, no necklace, a ridiculously ornate hair-clip that the longer she had on the more she’d questioned _why_ she even owned it. Only to start back around and square one.

She huffed as she stopped turning, smoothing her hands over her dress as stared at her reflection. One hand moved up to toy at the ends of her hair and she blinked as an idea hit her.

She twisted and twirled her hair between her hands, pushing it around until she had it situated in a loose bun at the back of her head. It was a bit messy, it exposed her ears in a way she hadn’t since she was a child, but it was perfect. It was how she wanted to look.

Grinning at herself she quickly bustled around the room, looking for her make-up bag so she could pin everything in place and hopefully tidy it up to look a bit more presentable.

She looked up as the bathroom door opened, Aline stepping through in her own dress and Helen’s mouth promptly dropped to the floor. She knew her girlfriend was beautiful of course, but sometimes it was like she had been hand-crafted by the angels themselves, this was one of those times and Helen was not _at all_ embarrassed as she gawked like an idiot.

“We’re gonna be late if you just keep standing there.” Helen snapped her mouth shut and stood a little straighter.

“If you could see how amazing you look you’d understand.” Aline only rolled her eyes as she stepped closer, her hands coming up to lightly pull at her dress. Helen was pretty sure nothing actually _needed_ adjusting, but she wasn’t about to complain.

“Do you want to wear your hair up?” A month ago Helen might have bristled at the question, sought out ulterior motives where there were none, but now she simply smiled and nodded as Aline watched her with a warm grin on her face. “Let me help then.”

Helen sat as Aline brushed her hair into place, and if her eyes were a little watery as Aline gently tucked her hair around her ears, neither of them said anything.

**Author's Note:**

> I edit my own stuff as best I can but if you see any glaring typos or errors please let me know. :)


End file.
